Keyboard mechanism for typographical machines



Aug. 30, 1932- s. E. sPERRY KEYBOARD MECHANISM FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Y E M O T T A Filed Aug. 24, 1931 ter-bearing matrices which are released and the clamping or looking bar has been dis- "5 Patented Aug. 30, 1932 SAMUEL E. SPERRY, or HOLLIS, New Yonrr, ASSIGNOR, To mre a'ryrn oonronA'r-I'on, or BROOKLYN, new roan, A ooaronnr oiv or nnw roar:

KEYBOARD ivrnomiizrrsm' non. TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES App1ioation filed August 24,1931. Seria1 No. 559,G68.

" The present invention relates to improvelikely to become disengaged from their bearments in keyboard mechanism for typoing seats or their triggers when one or angraphical machines of the Well'known class other otthe cam yokes is manipulated for which employ a magazine containing characremoval or replacement. Furthermore, after delivered therefrom under the control of esplaced, it is no longer possible to testthe key:- capements actuated by the keyboard mechboard mech anism while it is running or operanism for assembly in'a line and presentation ating under power or even to turn the rubber l to a mold for the casting of a type bar or slug covered rollers by hand while depressing a I V 19 therefrom, keyboard mechanism of this gen key leverto detect by visual inspection a 5 eral class being shown and described in my faultily operating cam yoke, it being not only prior Patent No. 1,734,922 granted Novemdesirable but usually necessary to displace ber 5, 1929. the clamping or locking bar to permit visual Keyboard mechanism of the class referred inspect-ion of the many parts of the keyboard r l to comprises continuously revolving rubber mechanism which are compactly assembled covered rolls and cam yokes carrying cams thereinand when the clamping or looking bar whichmove, under control of the finger keys I is displaced, the cam yoke will not be actuof the keyboard, into engagement with the ated in the normal manner by the actuating rollers whereby they are operated'by power roller. r j a from the rollers to actuate the matrix control- The present invention provides novel and 7b ling escapements, there being usually ninety improved means for mounting and clamping cam yokes in the keyboard mechanism, each the cam yokes in position on the keyboard cam yoke carrying a rotatable toothed cam frame whereby they can be'locked and unwhich when opera-ted traverses the periphlocked by means common to the plurality of cry of the rubber covered roll, and since some cam yokes and when. unlocked for visualiii- "7 of the cams operate more frequently than specti'on while the keyboard mechanism is others so that the teeth thereon wear down running or in operation they will be retained unequally and dirt lodges in the bearings of in operative position although supported so the cams or of the cam yokes, periodical inthat they may be readily exchanged, each spection and cleaning is. necessary to insure cam yoke independently of all of the others.

dependable operation of the keyboard mecha- To this and other ends, the invention connism. Proper care and inspection can be assists in certain improvements and combinasured in the relatively inaccessible location tions and arrangements of parts, all as will of these parts only by providing the maXibe hereinafter more fully described the feamum opening for visual inspection and the tures ofnovelty being pointed out particugreatest convenience for examining the parts la'rly' i'n'the claims at the end of the specifiunder normal operation as Well as ease of cation. i Y manipulation in removing and replacing the In the accompanying drawing r parts. a Fig. l is a perspective view' of a section 40 Heretofore, the cam yokes have been of a keyboard mechanism of the'class .remounted for independent and individual referred to and embodying the present inven moval from the keyboard frame upon distion; I placement of a clamping or locking bar, an :Fig'. 2 is a transverse vertical section ofa example of a keyboard mechanism of'that portion of the-keyboard mechanism,.show- M 1 type being disclosed in the patent to T. S. ingthe cam yokes clamped or locked in their 9 Homans, No. 1,102,923, granted July 7 1914. normal operative positions I l However, in keyboard mechanismof such Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 butshowconstruction, the cam yokes are relatively ing the cam yokes in unlocked condition" and close to one another and those at the back of one of the cam yokes partially removed, and

the keyboard are 'diflicult to reach. and are Fig; 4'is a detail perspective view of'the 1 retaining means for one of the rows of cam yokes.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the different figures.

The invention is shown in the present instance applied to a'keyboard mechanism of the general Class hereinbefore referred .to wherein 1 represents the stationary cross sent'sthe-front and rear rubber covered rollers which are journalled in the keyboard frame'and are driven. continuously during the operation of the machine asusua'l in keyboard mechanisms of. this class g represents the cam yokes each having a toothed cam" 4 rotatably mounted therein between "its ends, the cam yokes being arranged in front and rear rows as usual, one end of each cam yoke being connected by a pivot -5to a hearing or mounting block 6 :on which the cam yoke is supported on the keyboard frame, and 7 represents the reeds which rest on the other or free ends of the respective camiyokes and are forced upwardly by the operation of the respective cam yokes under the action of their cams to actuate the ma- :triX controlling escapements of the magazine, 7 as vis usual in keyboard mechanisms of this class. The ends'of the cam yokes opposite to their pivoted ends are normally supported in elevated position with the cams 4 out of contact with the respective actuating'rollers jby triggers 8 which are pivoted in the keyboard frame, and these triggers are operated to release the respective cam yokes and permit the cams therein to engage the actuating roller, by the usualvertically movable key sbars'9 which are guided by the upper "and lower toothed bars 10 and ll and by .thehusual banking bar 12, these key bars being lifted to release the c-amyokes by depression of the corresponding keylevers of the keyboard, one of which key-levers .13 is shown. As usual in'keyboard' mechanisms ofthis class, whenia cam drops into engage-- ment with the roller 2 and is rotated thereby to lift the cam yoke and the respective escapement: actuatingreed, the upward force applied by the cam to swing the camyoke upwardly must be sustained by the pivot 5 which acts as a fulcrum about which the opposite or reed lifting end of the cam yoke swings. V y. A V

The present invention provides means whereby the bearings 6 carrying ,the cam yoke pivots 5 are removably mounted on the keyboard frame and retained thereon so that any one of the cam yokes may be removed independently of the remainder while at the same time the cam yokes will be held in position on thekeyboard frame so that they may be operated by the actuating rollers without displacement, and this invention also provides means for effectively -lock ingor securing the cam yokes in operative positio-n or against removal from the keyboard frame. In the preferred construction shown, a vertical side of each frame cross member 1 is formed with a longitudinally extending rib 14 and the vertical face of each hearing or mounting block Gis formed with; a corresponding recess 15 into which the rib 14 is adapted to fit when the bearing or block 6 is in its proper operative po-sition in the frame. A bar 16 is secured by "a suitable number of screws 17 to "each cross member .1, .it forminga channel l8 between it and the side of the cross member 1 against which the bearingspnblocks 6 are applied, and a spring bar 19 is fitted into said channel and are taperedonbevelle d at their .upper ends,

and'thev opposite upturned side of this spring bar is slotte ddownito itsflat base to form aseries of. equally spaced tongues .23 having outwardly-turned lips 24 at their upperends, the tongues 23 being'located opposite to i the tongues 22 but being somewhat widerthan the tongues 22. g

:The bearings :or mounting blocksb have slots 25"extending "upwardly. therein from theirrlower ends and when these hearings or mounting blocks are placed in position :in the frame, these slotswillireceive the tongues 22 ofsthe springibar w which-are somewhat less inwidth than said-slots, thetongues 22 thus seryiing. .torproper'ly "space apart the cam yokes. lVhennthe hearings or mounting blocks 6 are in place in the f.rame,.th-e tongues or fingers. 23 bear againstthem at theside thereOfoppOSitc :to the :rib. 14 and thereby hold the bearings or mounting blocks yieldably invertical position and in engagement withv said rib. .I'Th-e portion .of'the bar 16 opposite to the cross bar-10f the frame is formed with. a -longitudinal groove-or channel .26 which extends. throughout the length of this'barand this channel serves as a hearing for a rotatable clamping or lockingbar 27. I This locking bar. is formed at one'side with a flat face 28 whichextends throughout its :length, and the .lockingbarmay be ro,- tated by a hand le 29 fixed to one of its ends either into the position shown in Fig. 2'so that the unfiatt-ened portion of this baribears againstthetongues. orfingers 23 or it may be rotated into the .positionushown in Fig. 3 so; that the :flattenedface of the'locking' bar is opposite Ytotheatongues' or fingers 23.

. The operation is as follows: when the lock ingbar 27. is turned to the. position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so that its flat face 28 is out ofrcontact with the springibar tongues or fingers. 23, the lips 24 at the-tops-of-the tongues 23-willbe pressed firmly againstall the cam yoke bearings or mounting blocks 6 and will thereby hold these bearings or blocks securely in place in engagement with the rib 14: which locates them vertically and the tongues 22 which position them the proper distance apart in the direction of the row. However, if the handle 29 is turned to rotate the locking bar 27 so that its fiat face 28 en: gages the tongues 23, the pressure of the lips 24 against the bearings or blocks 6 will be relaxed, but the tongues 23 will remain in engagement with the bearings or mounting blocks 6 by virtue of the sprin y material of the spring bar 19. The cam yoke hearings or mounting blocks 6 will therefore remain in place, the amount of relaxation of the pressure thereon by the spring tongues 23 being insufficient to allow the bearings or blocks 6 to disengage from the rib lt under the lifting force applied to the cam yokes by the actuating roller 2 and the cams iwhen the latter come into action. The keyboard therefore may be run under power in the usual manner while the operator may visually examine the action of the cams without. danger of displacement of the cam yokes in any way, and one or more of the cam yokes may be adjusted or removed without accidental displacement of the other cam yokes and which displacement, if it occurred, would result in much difficulty and delay before the keyboard could be restored to its proper operative condition. To remove a cam yoke, it is only necessary to draw the hearing or mounting block 6 rearwardly at the top against its spring tongue 23 suificiently far to disengage the bearing or block from the rib 14 on the keyboard cross bar, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, and then lift the yoke upwardly. To replace the yoke, the bearing or mounting block 6 can be readily inserted over the tapered tongue 22 to guide it downwardly into place until it rides over and snaps into engagement with the rib 14:, this rib being bevelled along its upper and lower edges to permit the bearing or mounting block 6 to easily slide over it upon withdrawal or insertion. By swinging the handle 29 to bring the unflattened portion of the locking bar 27 into engagement with the tongues or spring fingers 23, as shown in Fig. 2, these tongues or fingers are forced with greater pressure against the bearings or mounting blocks 6, thereby securely clamping or locking the bearings or mounting blocks in fixed operative positions in the keyboard frame. By mounting the locking bar in the position shown, it avoids obstructing the view of the operator in examining the cam yokes or any of the other parts of the keyboard mechanism, whether in its locking or releasing position.

I claim as my invention:

1. In keyboard mechanism for typographical machines comprising a frame, a plu- -in on said mounting means for 3. In keyboard mechanism roller and oermittin removal of an of said tuating the. cam yokes, yieldablemeans for removably mounting the. cam yokes in said frame while retaining them in operative relation'with said power means, and means act- 0 b GELHI'yOkeS agamst removal.

I 2. In keyboard mechanism locking said for typographical machines comprising a frame, a cam actuating roller therein, and a plurality of cam f carrying yokes arranged to be actuated by said roller,.means for yieldably and removiably holding said yokesindividually in said frame inoperative relation with said roller, and means-acting onsaid holding means and common to said plurality of yokes for securing them against removal.

for typographical machines comprising aframe, a cam, actuating roller therein, and a plurality of cam C carrying yokes arranged to be actuated by said roller, means for individually and removably holdingsaid yokes yieldingly in said frame in operative relation-with said yokes independentlyof the holding means of the remainder thereof, and means common to said plurality of yokes and acting on said holding means for securing them against-removal from said frame.

4. In keyboard mechanism for typographical machines comprising a frame, a cam actuating roller-therein, and a plurality of cam carryingyokes to be actuated by power from saidroller, bearings for pivotally supporting said, yokes, means individually holding said hearings in position on said frame to withstand the power applied by the roller to said yokesto actuate them but yieldable to permit individual removal of the yokes from the frame, and means common to the plurality of yokes for retaining them against removal fromthe frame. v 7 5. In keyboard mechanism fortypographical-machines comprising a frame, a cam actuating roller therein, and a'plurality of cam carrying yokesarranged for actuation by power from said roller, bearings for pivotally supporting said yokes. and removably engageable with the frame, yieldable fingers engaging said bearings individually and holding them in position on the frame to withstand the force applied to the yokes by said roller but permitting individual removal, of the yokes from the frame. and means to acton said fingers to hold said bearings against removal from the frame.

6. In keyboard mechanism for typograph ical machines comprising a frame, a cam tuating roller therein, and a plurality of cam carrying yokes arranged in said frame for actuation by power from said roller and having bearings pivotally connected thereto, a rib and cooperating recesses being provided between the frame and said bearings to removably position said bearings on said frame,

spring fingers acting individually on said bearings toretain said yokes in operativepo- -sition and to sustain the power applied'there- -to.by said roller, said fingers being lyieldable topermit disengagement of said rib .and'recesses and lndlvidual removal of said'yokes from the frame, and means common tothe plurality of cam yokes for retaining them against removal from the frame.

7. In keyboard mechanism for typographical machines comprising a frame, a'cam actuating roller therein, a plurality of cam I oarrying'yokes arrangedin said frame for actuation by said roller, and bearings pivotally connected to the yokes and engageable with the frame, a series of spring fingers engaging the bearings 0f the respectiveyokes and holding them in operative position in the'frame but permitting individual removal of the bearings therefrom, and a member operative to applypressure to said fingers to clamp the bearings against'removal from the frame.

8. In keyboard mechanism for typographical machines comprising aframe, a cam actuating roller therein, and a plurality of cam carrying yokes arranged in said frame for actuation by said roller and having bearings pivotally connected thereto and engageable with the frame, a series of spring fingers arranged to press against the respective bearings of the cam yokes toiremovably hold them in operative position on the frame, and a locking member operative on'saidifingers to increase their pressure against the bearings and thereby secure them against removal from the frame. i

' 9. In keyboard mechanism for typographical machines comprising a plurality of cam yokesya frame, and bearings removably engageable with the frame forpivotally supporting the yokes thereon, a series of spring fingers on the frame pressing against therespective bearings to retain them in' engage; ment with the'frame, andrmeans to act on said fingers to lncrease or relax theipressu're thereof against thebearings.

10. In keyboard mechanism fortypographical machines comprising a frame, a plurality of cam yokes,and mounting blocks removably mounted in the frame and p-ivotally connected to saidiyokes formounting them' in the frame, said blocks having slots in their lower ends, a member 'securedto the frame and having a series of longitudinally spaced upwardly extending tongues to removably'engage the slots in the respective mounting blocks and thereby spacethe yokes apart'in the frame, and having yieldable means thereon to engage said mountingblocks and-removably retain .them in mounted positions inthe frame. I

In testimony'whereofIhave hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL E. SPERRY. 

